Blake, Shatting, the Whip and Brad Paisley’s Boxers All Part of 2015 CMA Awards Monologue

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood's monologue took more than one unexpected turn on Wednesday night (Nov. 4). The 2015 CMA opener was a zig-zag of jokes, burns, parody songs and surprises that included references to Blake Shelton's divorce, William Shatner in a stormtrooper costume calling Sam Hunt a thief and Underwood doing the Whip. Or was it the Nae Nae?

The show opened with a mock of the familiar Star Wars text introduction. Paisley and Underwood were playing Carrie Fisher (Underwood's married last name) and Guitar Solo (not Hans Solo) as they raced around backstage letting other cast members know the Star Wars spoof was scrapped. Shatner's appearance towards the end of the actual monologue referenced the pre-recorded open. He appeared as a slightly plump stormtrooper who took exception to Hunt's style of singing/talking through a song. Calling it "Shatting," he accused Hunt of liberally borrowing his style. At one point the actor and Star Trek star was censored.

Paisley and Underwood began with "Cray Cray," a parody of Patsy Cline's "Crazy." “Some dude called us women tomatoes," Underwood sang referring to Keith Hill's comments on women in country music. Around this time she did the Whip/Nae Nae as the two riffed on man buns and other hot fads of the day.

A moment later Paisley addressed the elephant in the room. It seemed as if he would let Shelton off easy when he called Miss Piggy's breakup from Kermit the Frog the most painful of the year. But then ...

“On a completely unrelated topic, Howdy Blake.” Shelton was seen bent over in laughter. His newly-announced girlfriend Gwen Stefani was not with him in the audience. Miranda Lambert's reaction was not shown.

“Have you heard of that duet Blake did with Ashley Madison?” Paisley said, mistakenly saying Madison instead of Monroe. A Josh Duggar joke, a reference to Luke Stagefaller (from the opening Star Wars bit) and a Shatner later, Paisley unexpectedly dropped his pants for a naked host selfie. Fortunately for all — especially his wife in the front row — he stopped there.